Sonic the Hedgehog: Classic Chronicles
by InTheNightlight2
Summary: A retelling of the original four Sonic games, including a few twists to fill in some plotholes. Includes Sonic The Hedgehog, Sonic CD, Sonic 2, and Sonic 3 & Knuckles. Rated T for some non-graphic violence and mild language.
1. Planet Mobius

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**Sonic the Hedgehog and all related characters are © to SEGA and Sonic Team.**

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Chapter One: The Planet Mobius

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"Attention, Doctor Robotnik." A small robot droned. "We are nearing the planet's surface. At what time should orders be sent to the troops?"

"Immediately." The man responded, glancing at the lush green hills through the viewport. His mustache shifted as a maniacal grin was plastered onto his face. "Grandfather's reports were right; this planet does truly exist!"

He shifted his hovercraft into drive, and he floated through the battleship that he had snuck away from his home. He had traveled through space for nearly five years now, searching for the mythical world that his grandfather had recorded about.

His home was too populated and dangerous to take over, so naturally, what better place to take over than a world inhabited only by defenseless birds and rodents? Why, even the animals that would pose a threat on his world, like rhinoceros, were barely larger than his hand!

And when he'd finally taken over Mobius, he could use his new army to invade Earth, and easily overpower G.U.N.

He snickered darkly, soon bursting out into a cackle.

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Sonic sighed in bliss, bobbing his head back and forth as the rock music played through his earbuds. South Island had been quiet lately, as usual. The latest 'disaster' was the recent tornado that had torn up a bit of Green Hill, but the gaps were easily passable via bridges, although they rotated if the balance was thrown off.

He sat up, stretching, and picking up the sparkling blue jewel he had recently earned from one of the many 'Ring Zones' scattered around the island. He had entered feeling confident, and each time, he came out defeated. It had taken ten years, but he had finally broken the record for 'Fastest Time in a Ring Zone'.

Of course, the title didn't matter to him; he never felt the need to race. He already knew he was the best, but he always felt a bit awkward when he talked to the previous holder of the title. He'd already made at the very least ten rivals in speed, but every time, he came out on top.

Suddenly, darkness enveloped the land, and he looked around, curiously. It was barely past noon, so why was it suddenly so dark? He looked left and right, before shrugging. He looked up, only to stare in shock at the massive ship that had entered Green Hill's airspace.

Multiple little bug-shaped creatures flew out of the ship, disappearing beneath the canopy of the Green Hill. Sonic stared in shock as the terrified cries of the woodland creatures filled his ears, before growling and sprinting towards the Action Zone.

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Sonic sighed in relief as the Flickies swarmed around his head, chirping happily. He looked around, raising an eyebrow. He'd spun through all the robots he'd seen, freeing all of his friends, but he had no leads as to who did this. Even he couldn't speak Flicky.

He scowled up at the ship, before his eyes widened in shock; another robot was flying down at him!

He leapt to the side, flipping onto his feet and glaring at the new enemy. It looked similar to the 'moto-bugs' he'd encountered, but this one had a black shell and blue spots. It's eyes glowed a sickly green, and it's pincers were longer and sharper.

"You there! Hedgehog!" A man's voice came from the robot. "What do you think you're doing ? ! How dare you destroy my beautiful creations ? !" Sonic merely raised an eyebrow. "Well...no matter then! You don't stand a chance against this badnik." He snickered. "He's powered by a Chaos Emerald, and he's one of my most valued officers! Farewell, little pest!"

The robot charged towards him, and Sonic spun over it. He spun downward, preparing to slice right through it, only to bounce right off. The badnik charged again, grabbing Sonic by his wrist and flinging him into the air.

The hedgehog landed with a thud, rolling out of the way as the tire came barreling towards him. He realized what had been said; this robot was powered by a Chaos Emerald! Sonic reached into his glove, pulling out the gem he'd acquired earlier, and tightening his fist around it.

He was covered by a light blue glow, and he spun at the robot again. The two clashed, head-to-head, but the steel stood no chance against Sonic's razor-sharp spines.

The badnik fell into two pieces, and Sonic landed on his feet, a Chaos Emerald in each hand. Suddenly, the two gems vanished, disappearing into Sonic's hands. He raised an eyebrow, but merely shrugged it off, sprinting on ahead.

The brown checker-board pattern changed to purple, and the dirt transitioned to marble. He sliced through each badnik that came his way, and he was surprised to see that they were becoming more and more dangerous, with less and less available spots for him to hit.

He skidded to a stop at he came to a small lake of lava. There was another path on the other side, and he prepared to jump, only to stare in surprise at the new device that floated down.

This was was less a robot, and more of a hovercraft, with a large, rotund man in the cockpit. "Why you pesky little pincushion!" He snarled. "Who are you ? !"

Sonic crossed his arms, glaring up at him, before smirking, giving him the thumbs-down.

"Little brat!" Robotnik growled, flying directly over him. Sonic's smirk vanished as a fireball shot out at him from the hovercraft. He leapt to the other side of the lake, bounding off of the marble and spinning into the vehicle. The round craft wobbled out of control, and Robotnik shook his fist at the rodent. "You'll pay for that, you maggot-eating rat! This isn't the last you've seen of the great Doctor Ivo Robotnik!"

Sonic sprinted forth, keeping up with the madman. "Wh-What ? ! How can you keep up ? !" The hovercraft sped up, and Sonic followed suit. The marble faded away, replaced by bronze-colored concrete. The hedgehog smirked, running fast enough so that he was in front of Robotnik, running backwards. "_He...! He's mocking me!_"

Suddenly, Sonic felt the ground vanish from under him as his back hit a round deflector of sorts, and he bounced through the air, spinning into a ball and landing on his feet. As soon as he looked up, he was greeted by flashing neon lights.

He stared in amazement for a moment, before remembering the task at hand, and he sped off after Robotnik once more.

He finally caught up with the scientist, who flinched at the sight of him. "You again!" He pressed a button on his dashboard, and a spike fired towards Sonic. He dodged to the side, and his eyes widened as another spike neared.

He smirked, jumping on top of the spear, leaping to the next one, then the next, until he finally was high enough to jump up, spin into a ball, and slice into Robotnik's airship.

It wobbled uncontrollably once again, and Robotnik cried out in shock as he crashed down into the ruins nearby.

Sonic crossed his arms, smirking, and turning around on his heel, heading back towards the Green Hills. Suddenly, the ground rumbled, and Sonic fell over onto his backside as he lost his footing. He looked up in the sky to see Robotnik's battleship, looming over the Spring Yard ominously.

He pushed himself up, sprinting towards the edge of the Spring Yard, and leaping with all his might into the ruins.

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Sonic unrolled himself as he neared the floor, landing on his feet. He looked around, noticing the scorch-marks left by Robotnik's hovercraft. He immediately followed them, not thinking twice as he leapt into the water below.

Only after about thirty seconds or so did he realize his mistake; the water was deep, and he had never learned how to swim properly. He held his breath struggling to move through the water. His lungs felt as if they were about to burst, before he jumped out, breathing in the musky, old air of the Labyrinth.

He made a mental note to look for alternate pathways from now on, but only dwelt on it for a moment, before sprinting after the scorch-marks.

Robotnik was just up ahead, and Sonic craned his neck up as the madman flew up the narrow tunnel. He glared disapprovingly at the jagged wall in front of him, knowing that he'd have to climb. He sighed, but only had a moment to think when he realized that the water had begun to rise.

He leapt up, latching onto the wall, and pulling himself up as fast as he could. He looked upwards, feeling a sense of relief as the light from the surface shone down the narrow hole. He pushed off of the wall, hoisting himself up, and rolling onto his back, breathing heavily. He gulped back the saliva that had built up, before pushing himself up, looking around for the spherical aircraft.

Robotnik was a few yards away, and Sonic immediately gave chase. He leapt into the air, latching onto the wobbling hovercraft, and waving his fists wildly at the scientist.

"AGH! YOU LITTLE PEST!" Robotnik exclaimed, trying to deflect Sonic's assault. The hedgehog grabbed his mustache, and he cried out in pain and fury. The two continued their fight as Robotnik flew closer to the larger battleship, until the man nailed Sonic in the face, causing him to lose his footing and fall from the craft, down towards the city below.

Sonic spun onto his feet, letting out a sigh of relief. He growled, running forth through the city. By now the sun had set, and he was thankful that the Star Light city was just that; bright as the starlight. Suddenly, a loud 'pop!' echoed, and he looked around, raising an eyebrow.

Another popping sound was heard, and he looked up, where he noticed that there were small bombs with legs on the ceiling. A third one exploded, molten debris raining down. The hedgehog dodged each piece of scrap, leaping up from one platform to the next.

He had been to Star Light before, but he had forgotten how much fun it was to use those strange seesaws that were dotted across the city. His heart beat faster in anticipation when he realized that the usual weights had been turned into maces.

Suddenly, he skidded to a stop, coming face-to-face with an orb-shaped robot with three maces orbiting it's body. He had seen others like it around the city, but this one was almost twice their size, and the maces were noticeably sharper. Just like the 'Super-Moto-Bug' from the Green Hills, it's eyes were green.

"This time you won't get away!" Robotnik declared, and one of the maces brushed past Sonic's cheek. He leapt to the side, grunting as one of the maces scraped his shoulder, leaving a cut. Sweat beaded his forehead, and he scowled, tensing his muscles, preparing for another attack.

The Chaos Emeralds appeared in his hands once more, without warning, and he felt his spines sharpen and stick out. Another mace flew at him, and he leapt into the air, spinning around and repelling it back towards the 'Orbinaut'.

To his surprise, the mace exploded, and a Chaos Emerald flew out of the smoke. He smirked, spinning through the air and dodging each mace. He landed in front of the robot, sticking out his tongue and pulling on his lower eyelid.

"LITTLE PEST!" Robotnik cried in rage, and the maces flew back towards them both.

Sonic simply waved, leaping out of the way and causing the last two maces to slam into each of the Orbinaut's eyes. When the smoke cleared, three more emeralds lay at Sonic's feet.

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"CURSE HIM!" Robotnik shouted, slamming his fists into his keyboard at the transmission was lost. "That little pincushion! Who does he think he is ? !" He removed his fists from the keys, taking a deep breath, before breathing out, calmly. "This can't be happening...He took down two of my most precious creations, and he's already passed the Star Light city...What's more, he can utilize Chaos Energy in order to power himself up, and he has six of the emeralds..."

He smirked. "Run as fast as you can, little rat! Even if you do manage to survive my Scrap Brain, I'll simply have that much more fun crushing your brittle bones myself!" He burst into cackles which echoed all across the base.

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Sonic sighed in relief as he ducked onto the ledge above an electrical outlet. He was thankful that Robotnik had been 'kind' enough to have those robots deliver the emeralds; he doubted he'd be able to make it through all of this without them.

He saw it, dead ahead, a doorway leading to what he guessed was Robotnik's main control room. His suspicions were confirmed when the madman stepped out, a smirk on his face.

"Bravo, hedgehog, bravo!" He clapped, mocking him. "Congratulations on being the first of this world to see my laboratory firsthand! But I'm afraid our little game is over." Sonic gave him the thumbs-down, smirking, before leaping at him and curling into a ball.

Suddenly, a glass barrier came down in front of Robotnik, and Sonic bounced backwards, into a pair of mechanical arms. He squirmed around, trying to free his arms, and Robotnik chuckled darkly.

"Ah, yes, the Chaos Emeralds. Thank you for delivering them to me, hedgehog! Now, hand them over!" Another pair of arms rose up, searching Sonic's gloves, socks, and shoes, only to find nothing. Robotnik flinched. "Wh-What ? ! Wh-Where are they ? ! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE WITH MY CHAOS EMERALDS ? !"

"Doctor Robotnik." A motobug nearby droned. The scanners have detected the presence of Chaos Energy...within the hedgehog."

Robotnik raised an eyebrow. "Within him?" He smirked, but Sonic noticed a bead of sweat on his shiny dome. "Could it be...?" He pressed a button on the wall, and energy siphons lowered from the ceiling. "If you won't give them to me willingly, I'll take them by force!"

The devices turned on, and for the first time, Robotnik heard the hedgehog scream in agony, electricity sparking all over his body, causing his quills to stand up. His eyes flashed red for a moment, and he could have sworn his blur fur turned golden for half a second.

Finally, he jolted, the Emeralds shooting out of his body in a burst of light. The barrier lifted, and Robotnik picked up the six gems. "Yes, there we go!" He snickered. "I applaud you for getting this far, but it's about time we end this. Before I bid you farewell to the next world, however, I must know the name of the one who nearly foiled my plans."

Sonic was nearly unconscious, eyes struggling to stay open. He could barely speak, not that he'd have answered Robotnik's question if he could.

"Oh well." Robotnik shrugged, taking the emeralds back into the main control room. "Farewell, rat!"

The hedgehog felt himself falling, before crashing face-first into a pile of scrap. He lay there for a few minutes, before pushing himself up, stumbling as he kicked away a few robot parts. He slid down the pile, landing in his rear, and shaking his head, clearing his vision.

He bowed his head, and anyone would have guessed that he'd given up; he had every right to, Robotnik had practically won, there was no way out of this place, and even if he did get out, he'd stand no chance against Robotnik and the Chaos Emeralds.

But he did just the opposite.

He leapt to his feet, determination etched into his face as he sprinted down the slope nearby. Without hesitation, he leapt into the pink-colored water (he didn't care if it was toxins or not) and ran as fast as he could through the liquid, spinning out when he came to a way out, and jumping onto a spring, shooting upwards through the sewers.

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"So beautiful..." Robotnik grinned evilly down at the emeralds, having placed them in a siphon. "The Chaos Emeralds of Mobius truly are capable of miracles! My Death Egg is being built at almost ten times it's normal speed!" He reached into his pocket, pulling out a seventh sky-blue gem. "Just one more emerald, and my flying fortress will be complete!"

"Doctor Robotnik!" The Moto-Bug from earlier exclaimed. "The scanners are picking up another Chaos Energy readi-!"

"WHAT ? !" Robotnik gaped, staring in shock at the doorway. Sonic stood there, smirking, and holding the Moto-Bug's head. "Y-You...YOU! HOW DID YOU ESCAPE MY DISPOSAL PLANT ? !" He snarled. "ANSWER ME!" He stomped on the ground repeatedly. "YOU...YOU LITTLE RAT! **THAT DOES IT, THIS TIME I'LL FINISH YOU MYSELF ! !**"

He pressed a button on the wall, and a capsule shot out of the wall, surrounding the scientist. It rose into the ceiling, and Sonic looked around, preparing for it to come back out. He noticed a panel open on the floor, and he waited a moment, before spinning through it, slicing it in two. He raised an eyebrow when he realized that it was empty.

He heard the hissing of another panel opening, but he could only stare in shock as the capsule came down.

_**CRUNCH!**_

Sonic screamed in agony for the second time, feeling the metal crush his ribs. He gasped like a fish out of water, feeling pain like no other. The capsule crashed down again, and again, and his breathing slowed with each crunching sound.

Finally, the capsule stopped, and Robotnik stepped out, snickering. "Don't worry hedgehog, I won't kill you...yet." He smirked. "I have plans for you...Your Chaos Energy, your skill and strength, everything about you is fascinating. I will keep you alive, if only for the purpose of creating the ultimate weapon!" He grabbed Sonic by the scruff of his neck, dragging him along like a child would a doll.

Sonic snarled, arms twitching as he attempted to move. Suddenly, the Chaos Emeralds glowed a brilliant color, and the glass covering their containment siphon shattered. The six gems floated up, and Robotnik felt the seventh vibrating in his pocket.

_**WHAM!**_

The madman flew backwards as Sonic broke out of his grip, socking him in the face and glowing golden for a split second. Robotnik let out a cry of shock and fear as Sonic loomed over him.

Then, for the first time, he spoke. "You asked for my name before." The hedgehog smirked. "You're the first ever person who's made me break a sweat, so I'll let you go. But remember this..." He pointed his index finger at the man's nose. "If you ever come back and threaten Mobius, Sonic the Hedgehog will stop you over and over until you can't build another Badnik!" He let out a 'hmph'. "Now, get outta here!"

Robotnik didn't need to be told twice, and he bolted for his hovercraft, flying away. An idea sprouted in Sonic's mind, and he crouched down, somersaulting forward repeatedly on the spot, and blasting forward. He jumped up, kicking the craft through the roof, and sprinting back into the main control room, snatching up the six gems and dashing out of the Scrap Brain.

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Sonic smirked as he returned to Green Hill, skidding to a stop, and waving at all the woodland creatures that had been awaiting his return. Suddenly, he felt his body vibrate, and the Chaos Emeralds appeared in front of him, spinning around rapidly.

In a flash of light, the gems vanished, and Sonic looked around, wondering where they could have gone. He shrugged, before running across the hills, feeling victorious.

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Meanwhile, far off in the ruins of Robotnik's battleship, the bald scientist chuckled darkly, pulling out the sky-blue gem from his pocket.

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To be continued...


	2. Chronos Dimension

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Chapter 2: Chronos Dimension

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In the skies above Never Lake, a spherical structure stood. It was the Little Planet, a planet practically made of Chronos Energy. In short, Chronos Energy was similar to Chaos Energy in that it could control certain aspects of time, whereas Chaos Energy controlled space.

Little Planet would appear over the lake for a month every year, and with it came the Time Stones. Similar to how Chronos Energy was the equivalent to Chaos Energy, the Times Stones were the equivalents of the Chaos Emeralds. The Chronos Energy given off by the Time Stones would reach down to Mobius' surface, restoring the land surrounding Never Lake to how it was about ten years ago.

Sonic the Hedgehog sprinted along the grasslands, noticing Little Planet over one of the nearby mountains. He grinned, leaping up the footholds, and staring in awe at the planet's beauty. Suddenly, he realized that a chain had been attached to the planet, tethering it to Mobius.

What's more, the chain was connected to a mountain with a very familiar face upon it.

"Robotnik again?" Sonic growled, glaring at the face carved into the mountainside. "I warned him last time, if he ever threatens Mobius again, there won't be any mercy! Didn't think he'd stir up trouble again in less than three years, if at all!"

Indeed, he had brought the madman to his knees just over two years ago, and Mobius had been mostly peaceful since. He smirked, cracking his knuckles, and jumping down the mountain, rolling off of the slope and landing on the chain.

Meanwhile, on the Little Planet, Robotnik chuckled darkly, watching as Sonic entered the planet's atmosphere. "Yes, that's right, Sonic. Run, run, as fast as you can. I have a nice surprise for you waiting up here..." He stood, hurrying to his Egg-Pod hovercraft. "I knew sending my creations to this planet ten years ago was a brilliant plan! Even if Sonic tried to stop me in the past by using the Time Stones, he'll still need to take down my Robot-Makers, which are guarded by my most faithful of servants!"

"And of course..." His eyes gleamed behind his goggles. "There's a little play-mate he has waiting for him in the Collision City, where Chronos Energy and Chaos Energy collide."

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Sonic felt the wind whip his spines around as he hurried across the Palm-Tree forest. As he expected, Badniks waited for him around every turn, and he spun through each one.

Then, without warning, he felt his stomach churn as he lost his footing, and bright blue stars circled his body. He let out a cry of shock as he felt himself skid across his stomach, finally stopping after a moment or so. He pushed himself up, groaning, and looking around.

The Palm-Tree forest had become...drier, and the cliffs nearby looked smoother than they had previously. He remembered the old legends of Little Planet, and he shrugged, assuming that was the reason. He continued forth, surprised to see Badniks still lurking around.

Suddenly, he stopped, staring in awe at the mechanism in front of him. It looked like some sort of floating jail cell, it's bars made of electricity, with the floor and roof made of solid steel. A nearby Badnik noticed him, and revved up it's wheels, charging straight for him. Sonic leapt over him, curling into a ball and slicing through the cell.

In a flash, he returned to the present, losing his footing once more and slipping from the cliff, landing on his back and groaning again. "Ugh...I don't think I'll ever get used to that..." He sprinted forth again, noticing a Ring Portal dead ahead, similar to the ones on South Island. He scowled. "What? Why are there Ring Portals on Little Planet? I knew the Time Stones were similar to Chaos Emeralds, but to think they're this similar..."

Regardless, he jumped in, landing on what appeared to be a repeating street in the middle of an ocean. Overhead, he noticed strange UFO-looking machine, and he smirked when he noticed the Time Stone a few feet away. He ran for it, only to fall back as the UFOs dove for him, blocking him from getting it.

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"Doctor Robotnik, the hedgehog has destroyed the Robot-Maker of the Palm-Tree forest, and has collected the first Time Stone!" An Orbinaut announced as it floated into the man's main control room.

"Oh, no big deal." Robotnik snickered, watching from his mobile camera as Sonic zipped ahead towards the Collision City. "He hasn't even met him yet, he should have butt out when he had the chance!" Suddenly, he noticed something on the screen; a pink, blurred-out object, hidden behind a palm-tree.

He zoomed in, sharpening the image until it was clear. "Grr...That pesky rodent! He has back-up!" He glared at the Orbinaut. "Change of plans! Contact Metal and tell him the update; capture that hedgehog's partner! The two of them might prove to be a challenge!"

"Yes sir, Doctor Robotnik!" The machine raised one of it's maces, as if saluting, before shooting down the corridor.

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Sonic screeched to a halt, raising a hand to shield his eyes from the sun as he looked ahead. "What in the world? The forest seems to flatten out and lead to a city. Strange..." Suddenly, he heard a twig snap behind him, and he spun around. "Who's there? Are you one of Robotnik's Badniks? Show yourself!" Everything was silent for a moment, before a young, pink hedgehog stepped out from behind her hiding spot. "What the...A girl?"

She nervously glanced down at the floor, smoothing out her skirt, and blushing. After a moment or two, she waved. "H-Hello. You're...from the world below, right?"

He nodded, raisin g an eyebrow. "You mean Mobius? Yeah, I'm from there."

"It's not often we get a visitor from there." The girl explained. "A-Are you here to sight-see? I can show you around!"

"Sorry, kid, but I don't have time to sight-see." Sonic scowled, turning around towards the city. "Little Planet's in danger, and I have to stop it!"

"You're heading to Collision City, aren't you?" She quickly spoke up, holding up a hand to get him to wait. "I can show you there! The Palm-Tree forest gets really dense up ahead, and you might lose your way."

Sonic considered this for a moment, before smirking, giving her the thumbs up. "Sure thing. I was starting to get a bit lonely anyways!" The girl jogged up to him, and Sonic gave her a bit of a head start, before following her lead. "So, what's your name, kid?"

"A-Amy Rose..." She replied, bashfully. "What's...your name?"

He smirked again. "I'm Sonic. Sonic the Hedgehog!"

About fifteen minutes later, they arrived at the gates to Collision City, and Sonic slowed down to allow Amy to catch up; somewhere along the way, he'd gotten ahead.

"S-Sonic..." She panted, wiping a bit of saliva from her chin. "How...how are you...so fast?"

"Heh...s-sorry..." Sonic reached up, scratching his spines. "Sometimes I get a bit ahead of myself...and others..." He reached down. "You okay?"

Amy blushed, taking his hand and nodding. "Y-Yes..."

"Thanks for showing me to the city." He waved, preparing to start running. "But I gotta get going!"

"S-Sonic, wait a moment!" She called, and Sonic stopped in his tracks as he grabbed his hand. They were both silent for a minute, until Amy finally looked up into his eyes. "I...you're welcome..."

He stared for a moment, before sighing. "Amy-"

_**CRASH!**_

Suddenly, the wall ahead of them cracked open, and a yellow blur shot towards them. Sonic immediately raised his hands up to defend Amy, only to stare in shock as the blur curved over his head, landing behind them and snatching Amy up off of her feet. Sonic growled, before his eyes registered what was before him.

Floating above the ground, with Amy in it's arms, was a cobalt-blue machine, with piercing red eyes, deadly claws on it's hands, and three upward-turning spikes.

About a minute passed, before he finally regained control of his voice. "HEY! Who are you ? !" He snarled. "Put her down!"

"Be quiet, hedgehog." The robot ordered, and Sonic flinched at how demonic it's robotic, tinny voice sounded. "Under orders of Doctor Ivo Robotnik, I am placing you both under arrest for defying his greatness. Come along peacefully, and you shall not be harmed. Struggle, and you will be executed on the spot."

Sonic growled, glaring at the claws pressed against Amy's neck. "Let Amy go! She has nothing to do with me! You can tell Robotnik that she was just showing me to the city!"

"She is an accomplice, and is therefore under arrest!" The robot retorted.

Amy looked down at Sonic, eyes pleading for him to save her, before she noticed a gang of Badniks behind him. "SONIC! RUN!"

Before he could react, the Badniks pounced on him, pinning him to the ground and hitting him with everything they had. Amy felt tears well up in her eyes, and screamed as the robot hedgehog flew away, towards Doctor Robotnik's base.

The robots let up as Sonic ceased to move, eyes shut. They dispersed, leaving his body beyond the gate as a warning to anything else that might cross the path. Suddenly, Sonic opened one eye, making sure they were gone, before smirking and pushing himself to his feet, sprinting on ahead.

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Robotnik snickered as he watched Sonic scurry forth. "That's right, hedgehog, come right into my trap. You won't make a mockery of me this time!" He had sent even stronger Badniks than before to hinder the hedgehog, and although they each lacked a Chaos Emerald, they were made of reinforced steel and covered in spikes. And without the Chaos Emeralds, Sonic was just as powerless as a moto-bug.

"Sir, I have brought the accomplice." The robot hedgehog reported, throwing Amy at his feet and kneeling. "What are your orders, Doctor Robotnik?"

"Very good, Hyper Metal Sonic!" He cackled. "Just think, if you froze Sonic in his tracks with one Chaos Emerald, just imagine what you could do with all seven!"

Metal nodded, reaching into his abdominal area, where the sky-blue Chaos Emerald sat. "...Doctor."

"Yes, Metal?"

"Why did you make these fake Chaos Emeralds?" The robot inquired, and Robotnik tittered darkly.

"Do not misunderstand, Hyper Metal Sonic." He explained. "These Emeralds are just like the real ones, albeit counterfeit. The real ones contain the power of Chaos, the God of Destruction, whilst these," he held one up to make an example, "are merely normal Peruzzi-cut gems which I have filled with the energy of the leftover animals I kidnapped."

Metal tilted his head to the side. "I'm afraid I don't understand. Why falsify the Emeralds instead of retrieving the real ones?"

"Hyper Metal Sonic, the Chaos Emeralds are a legend among legends!" Robotnik stood, raising his arms to emphasize. "My grandfather, Gerald Robotnik, studied not only the planet Mobius, but also it's myths and folktales."

"One such tale spoke of a legendary tribe, whose prosperity came from a 'pillar', called the Mighty Stone. However, one day, the tribe angered the gods, and a monster rose from the pillar. It left a path of terrible chaos and tragedy in it's wake. Only after it's rage had been sealed into the Mighty Stone had it's reign of terror ended. The tribe was eradicated completely." He sat back down, opening a file on his computer.

"The gods, knowing that the Mighty Stone would bring about only destruction if used in the wrong hands, separated the tribe's home from the mainland, casting it into the cosmos, where it and it's culture vanished forevermore."

On the computer screen, it showed a mural of sorts, a large Emerald in the middle. On the left was what appeared to be a dragon of sorts, while on the right was an angel, barely a tenth of the dragon's size.

"Or at least...that's what the legends say." He continued. "My grandfather, before his death, had sent probes into the outer reaches of space, and came across what appeared to be a meteorite, floating amongst the stars. Upon landing, the probes sent back data which appeared at first impossible. The 'island's' atmosphere was composed of elements similar to that of Earth's, nitrogen, oxygen, etcetera. The probes came across an ancient ruin, and within it, an enormous Emerald and this mural."

"It also found 'Ring Zones' scattered around the island, and within them, gems, which the scriptures sent back described as 'Emeralds of Destruction'. The probes attempted to place them at the altar which surrounded the Mighty Stone, but the signal was lost, and what happened remains a mystery."

He scowled. "And then, before his death, he created the 'Ultimate Life-Form', composed of makeshift Chaos Energy. It was meant to be a cure, but after his death, this ultimate being vanished..."

"...Doctor." Metal tilted his head once more. "What is the reason that there are Ring Zones on Little Planet and South Island as well?"

"Mobius and Little Planet, in a way, circle each other infinitely, as a Möbius Strip, if you will. Since the island was once a part of Mobius, it is safe to assume that some of it's Chaos Energy 'leaked' from the island eons ago, before it was separated from the mainland. Little Planet, too. The Chaos Energy formed these Ring Zones, and the Time Stones, which are equivalent to the Chaos Emeralds, were attracted to them, sealing themselves within."

"And the Chaos Emeralds found in these Ring Zones?"

"...The result of an experiment, which went horribly, horribly wrong." Robotnik scowled, glaring at the screen as Sonic zipped out of the Tidal Tempest Ruin. "Just as my grandfather created the Ultimate Life, I sought to do the same, not as a cure, but as a destroyer. I studied everything carefully, but the Chaos Energy I faked spiked; a flash of light destroyed not only my laboratory, but also half of Westopolis. Hundreds were killed as a result, and I, being the only survivor and cause, was sent to jail for twenty long years. I often laid awake at night, wondering, 'what was that flash of light?'..."

"I didn't realize it at first sight, but I understood when I found that he absorbed the fake Chaos Emeralds..." He growled, slamming a fist into the keyboard. "Never in a million years did I once consider that I had created my own worst enemy..."

"Doctor, Sonic the Hedgehog is your... ? !"

"Yes..." He snarled. "I created Sonic the Hedgehog with my own two hands, although I wouldn't know until after my stint in prison...And who knows how many other monstrosities I'm responsible for? The only reason Sonic isn't already an adult is because of the five-year time-span it takes to get from Earth to Mobius. Besides, I have no idea if the Chronos Energy had any influence on when the Chaos Energies reached Mobius..."

On the monitor, Sonic had managed to collect the Time Stones and had made it through the Wacky Workbench factory. "That little pincushion! Hyper Metal Sonic!" The doppleganger saluted. "Head to the Stardust Speedway and cut him off! I'll be there shortly to back you up." He grabbed Amy's collar. "As for you..."

/-/-/-/-/-/

Sonic hurried on ahead, looking left and right. "Robotnik's base has to be around here somewhere! The more dangerous things get, the closer I am to the man himself." He skidded to a stop, glaring at Metal as he blocked him. "You again! Where's Amy ? !"

"She's still alive, for now." He replied, ominously. "Doctor Robotnik has given me strict orders to dispose of you, and I intend not to disappoint." Robotnik floated over them, and the front of his hovercraft glowed. A laser shot down into the floor, and Metal revved up his engine, ready to take off. "If you want her back, you will have to beat me to her at the end of the Speedway. If you can't, then I'll make sure you watch as I gut her like a fish!"

"And if I can..." Sonic snarled. "I'll make sure you're so busted up, not even a Chaos Emerald can repair you!"

The door in front of them opened, and they took off, sparks flying behind them. Sonic smirked as he passed the robot, only to stare in shock as Metal flew overhead, glowing golden. He growled, speeding up so that they were neck-and-neck.

Suddenly, a set of spikes jutted up from the floor out of nowhere, and Sonic barely had time to jump over it. "Now you're just playing dirty!" It didn't take long for him to catch up. The laser was getting closer, and Sonic felt the heat burning the backs of his shoes.

"This is the home-stretch, hedgehog!" Metal seemed to snicker. "I'll enjoy watching you die!"

Sonic pushed himself harder, and for once, he felt his chest about to burst from exhaustion. Metal was a robot, and wouldn't run out of energy until long after the race, but Sonic relied on his lungs and the air around him. He tripped, crying out in pain as he skidded across the speedway, landing in a crumpled heap.

He reached up, holding his nose and making sure it wasn't broken. He gulped back the saliva that had built up, sprinting forward once more. The finish line was dead ahead, and Metal was almost there.

"This is it..." Sonic felt his legs begin to give out, and he begged his body to push harder. Suddenly, he heard Amy's screaming from the finish, begging him to help her, to not die. He growled, glaring back at Robotnik, then at Metal. "Damn you..." He took a deep breath, running faster than he ever had, his legs becoming a blurred figure eight. "**DAMN YOU ! ! !**"

He shot past Metal Sonic, leaving both the robot and their creator with shocked expressions. Metal made a tinny growl, speeding up as well. His legs scraped against the ground, but he didn't care; Robotnik could rebuild him and buff out any scratches.

Then, it was over.

Metal's legs began to melt, and he lost his balance, slamming into the wall next to the finish line just as Sonic passed it. The real deal quickly spun through the ropes holding Amy in place, picked her up, and continued running as the speedway burst into flames, the robot having exploded.

He kept running, straight to the Palm-Tree forest, before tripping up, sending both himself and Amy sprawling onto the grass.

After a minute or so, Amy managed to push herself up, limping over to her savior. "S-Sonic, wake up!" She cried, shaking his shoulder. "Sonic, please, wake up!"

He began to stir, groaning as he pushed himself into a sitting position. He stayed silent for a moment, before chuckling. "...Heh...heheh..." His chuckles soon grew into laughter, and it took him a second to calm down. "Phew..." He sighed. "Gotta congratulate Robotnik sometime; that was such a RUSH!"

"Sonic, are you okay?" Amy asked, worried. The blue hedgehog nodded, standing up.

"Yep, fine. Just needed a minute or two to rest." He stretched out his legs and arms. "Ahh, feelin' better already!" He smirked. "Now then, time to kick some Ro-butt-nik!" He paused. "...Oh, man, I have got to remember that one!" Amy shivered a bit, and Sonic raised an eyebrow. "Hey, Amy, you alright?"

She burst into giggles, looking Sonic in the eye. "...Thank you, Sonic!" To his surprise, she tackled him in a hug, smothering his cheeks with kisses. "You're my hero! You're soooo cool!"

"Wh-Whoawhoawhoa!" Sonic cried out, pushing her off. "Listen, Amy, I-I'm grateful that you think I'm cool and all, a-and you're welcome for saving you, b-but..." He backed up, raising his hands in defense as she approached, a cutesy look on her face. He gulped, turning on his heel, and sprinting in the opposite direction, towards the Metallic Madness factory. "S-Sorry Amy, I'm not ready for that kind of commitment!"

"Sonic, come back!" She cried, chasing after him.

/-/-/-/-/-/

Sonic had managed to lose Amy somewhere around the Quartz Quadrant, and he let out a sigh of relief. He had made it to Robotnik's base, and he jogged forth, towards the center.

Robotnik was waiting for him, in another of his machines. This one was a spherical pod with four hammers surrounding it. "You horrid little hedgehog!" He snarled. "How dare you destroy my beautiful creation!"

"Give it up, Ro-butt-nik!" Sonic snickered. "I beat you once, I'll do it again! I gave you fair warning last time. This time, there'll be no mercy!"

The hammers launched themselves down at him, and he sidestepped each. He spun into a ball, bouncing off of the pod. He growled, repeating it, only to fly back as the hammers reappeared, sucked back in by a magnet.

He placed a hand to his chin. "Alright, reinforced steel, hammers all around...Nice goin', Ro-butt-nik. This might actually be trouble to trash!"

Suddenly, a whirring came from the doorway, where Metal Sonic lay, gripping the door frame.

"Yes! Get him, Hyper Metal Sonic!" Robotnik ordered, and Metal's jet activated, sending him straight for his original. Sonic dodged, and the robot smashed into Robotnik's pod, sending it flying into the control panel. "Wh-WHAT ? !" He cried, grabbing Metal by the neck and leaping out of his machine, running away. "YOU CLANKING CLOD! THIS WHOLE FORTRESS WILL EXPLODE NOW!"

"NOT SO FAST, RO-BUTT-NIK!" Sonic exclaimed, making a dash for him, until he heard a voice behind him.

"There you are! Soni~c!" Amy ran through the door, oblivious to the falling pillar.

"AMY!" Sonic sprinted towards her, grabbing her and running out of the fortress. He reached the Palm-Tree forest once more, leaping at the chain as it began to crumble, setting Little Planet free. He landed on the ground, panting as he wiped a bit of sweat from his forehead.

They both looked up at the Little Planet as it vanished, leaving behind not a single trace.

A few minutes passed, before Amy looked at her hero, remorsefully. "...Sonic, I...I'm sorry...If I hadn't followed you, you could've gotten Robotnik, a-and..."

"No, I'm sorry..." Sonic sighed. "...Little Planet was your home, and because I didn't think to leave you at the Palm-Tree forest, you can't go back...Amy, I'm sorry..."

The pink hedgehog wrapped him in a hug. "You have nothing to be sorry about...Besides, you did save me, so I can't be mad at you after that." She kissed his cheek. "Thank you, Sonic the Hedgehog..."

"Listen, Amy..." Sonic pushed her off, gently. "It's not that I don't like you or anything, but I just think we need time to consider things before rushing into it...Kinda something I never do." He chuckled nervously. "L-Look, maybe in a few years, okay? As soon as Ro-butt-nik's gone for good!"

"Really?" She smiled, eyes sparkling.

"I-I said maybe!" Sonic raised his hands. "Okay? Let's wait before rushing into something like this."

"...I see." Amy nodded, smiling. Sonic grinned back, before Amy pulled an enormous hammer out of her pocket. "After Robotnik's gone, you'll be all mine!"

"A-Ah, just...let me handle Robotnik, okay?" He chuckled nervously.

"Oh, fine..." She crossed her arms, pouting. "But...that doesn't mean I won't stop trying to make you mine!"

"A-Amy! Cut that out!" Sonic cried as she chased after him. "Oh, gosh, what did I get myself into ? !"

/-/-/-/-/-/

To be continued...


	3. Death Egg Part 1

A.N: Sorry for the long break, things were hectic over here for quite a while, what with getting sick, make-up homework, and writer's block for my other stories and this one. I apologize for the hiatus, but I'm back on track now. The next story arc(S3&K) will be released as soon as I finish both parts to it. Sorry for the long waits, everyone.

/-/-/-/-/-/

Chapter 3: Death Egg, Part 1

/-/-/-/-/-/

"No! Please stop it!" A young fox cried, trying to break out of his captors' grip. He saw the bat raised above the bear's head, and he shut his eyes as it came down, causing a loud _**CRAK!**_ upon crushing the small mechanical plane.

The bullies laughed and guffawed as they left the fox to clean up whatever pieces remained of the homemade toy. Miles Prower had been an orphan since he was barely a year old, abandoned by his parents due to the two tails he had been born with.

He sighed, wiping his eyes and trudging through the forest. He had been living in a small den at the Emerald Hills of the Mystic Ruins for the past few years, having moved there after the assault on Cocoa Island by the Battle Kukku Army.(1) His battle with the army was kept practically secret to the world, save for Cocoa Island itself, and when he arrived on Westside Island, he had fallen victim to bullying, courtesy of the Emerald Hill gang.

Suddenly, he yelped in shock as a roar of turbulence erupted overhead. A red biplane had passed over the island, partially obscured by smoke, and spiraling down towards the center of Emerald Hill. He raised an eyebrow. "I hope the pilot's okay..." Eventually, curiosity became too great, and he began to run in the direction the plane had crashed.

Sonic wiped his forehead, letting out a sigh of relief as he lowered down with his parachute. "That was close..." He growled, crossing his arms and waiting to land. "I figured I'd take a vacation and head to Westside Island, and whaddya know, Ro-butt-nik shoots me down."

Indeed, he had been about to land, only to have to bail as turtle-like Badniks shot his plane's engine. After a minute or two, he landed, abandoning his parachute and sprinting forth.

Miles screeched to a stop as a blue blur passed in front of him, scaring him half to death. He leapt into the bushes, peering out. Sonic stood on a nearby boulder, hand raised to shield his eyes from the sun. After a moment, he continued running, following the smoke from the plane. Miles' eyes shone with admiration at his speed, and he quickly gave chase.

/-/-/-/-/-/

"Aww, man..." Sonic groaned as he approached the plane. The wings had been broken off and bent, the propeller was busted, and one of the wheels had burnt from being hit directly, melting into the grass. "It took me months to build this..." He sighed, searching through the cockpit for anything that may have survived the crash.

"Crap..." He sighed again, finding nothing of great importance. "I even lost the icebox..." He growled, looking up into the sky at Robotnik's Wing Fortress as it passed overhead. "Alright, Robotnik, beat you once, shame on you. Beat you twice, shame on you again. But seriously, beat you thrice, I'm seeing a pattern here!"

Sonic took off after the ship, sprinting across the hills. Coconuts and energy bullets rained down from the trees as the Badniks aimed for him. He skidded to a stop as a car of sorts drove towards him, the front protected by a drill.

Robotnik lowered down in his hovercraft, landing in the vehicle and activating the drill. "Still alive, you pesky little pincushion ? ! You've defied me for the last time, hedgehog!"

The vehicle hummed a bit, rolling forward, painfully slow. Sonic glanced left, then right, before staring disapprovingly at the man. He curled up, spinning into him and landing on the other side.

"GAH!" Robotnik cried out dramatically, motioning around as if he were slowly and painfully dying. "Noo! You've defeated me! Farewell, cruel, cruel wooooorld!" He smirked, glancing back at Sonic. "Kidding!"

The car suddenly broke open, panels opening all over it, and large wheels replacing the original wheels, similarly to monster-truck wheels. Sonic stared in shock as it towered over the Emerald Hills, and off in the distance, the woodland critters who witnessed it scampered away in fright.

"Say your prayers, hedgehog!" He cackled, pointing down at him. "This time, I'll squash you into a blue pancake!" The tires rolled forward, and Sonic dodged to the side, the treads barely nicking his sneakers.

He spun into the tires, attempting to cut them open, only to bounce right off. The tires barreled towards him, and he ducked between them. This continued for a minute or two, and Sonic growled, recognizing the pattern. "This could go on forever if I don't do something..."

"Yo, Ro-butt-nik!" Sonic called up. "What's the deal with attacking this island? You got a problem with me, I'll gladly take things to your own turf!"

"You truly are a pinheaded pincushion!" Robotnik snickered. "Have you never heard the legends of the Chaos Emeralds ? !"

"Yeah, of course I have!" Sonic replied, raising an eyebrow. "Heck, I stole 'em from you four years ago!"

"Those were fakes, you imbecile!" Robotnik laughed. "Do you really think I would power my creations with such powerful artifacts? If I did that, they would betray me immediately! The real Chaos Emeralds may be lost to the ages on the legendary floating island, but I can still make use of the Power Stones here on Westside Island!"

"Power Stones?"

"Yes, the Power Stones! They are exactly like the Chaos Emeralds in nearly every way! With the exception that they lack the Chaos Emeralds' true potential, of course. However, I can still use them to power my new fortress!" He pointed to the sky, and Sonic looked up, staring in terror at the spherical spaceship overhead.

"Behold, the mighty Death Egg!" The ship itself look like a ball, with a design on the front that resembled Robotnik's face. The two cannons on the front resembled eyes, and the nose and mustache were for decoration(at least, Sonic hoped they were decoration).

"You...You're serious... ? !" Sonic gulped. "YOU BLOCKHEAD! If the Power Stones really are like the Emeralds, then that thing will be a flying doomsday device!"

Robotnik smirked, chuckling darkly. "I know..."

Sonic's eyes widened, and he involuntarily took a step back. "You're...you're insane...You're just plain insane!"

"And that's not the best part!" Robotnik cackled, ignoring his nemesis. "There are more than only seven Power Stones; I will become invincible! Not even you could stop me this time, Sonic!"

The hedgehog smirked, however, a sweat drop appeared on his temple. "Hmph...Well, we can't know unless we try!"

He leapt into the air, jumping off of the tire and curling up, spinning towards the car. Robotnik set it in reverse, and Sonic landed on the drill. It started up, and Sonic cried out in shock, running as the drill spun, trying to maintain his balance.

"Tch!" He scowled. "I hate reverse hamster wheels..." He jumped up again, and Robotnik pressed a button, causing the car to rear back and aim the drill at Sonic. It fired towards him, and Sonic twisted in midair, dodging the attack, and curling back up.

Robotnik saw the incoming attack, and he ejected his hovercraft as Sonic sliced through the rest of the car.

Sonic growled, glaring up as Robotnik flew away. "Come back here, Ro-butt-nik!" He took off, leaving a trail of dust as he approached the Chemical Plant in the distance.

A minute or so passed, before Miles crawled out from the bushes, eyes wide in terror and awe. "W-Wow..." He gulped. "That...That guy was so cool...!" Suddenly, the reality of the situation dawned on him, and he shook his head. "Th-That egg-man said something about an invincible fortress...I...I can't just sit back and let someone else do all the work, I ought to help..."

He remembered the plane from earlier, and he ran back towards the pillar of smoke. "I hope he doesn't get angry at me..."

/-/-/-/-/-/

"Drats..." Sonic panted, having run non-stop across the Chemical Plant, the Aquatic Ruins, and the Casino Night. "I've crossed three of Ro-butt-nik's trap-lands, and still no other sign of the man himself!"

He had entered the Hill Tops, sprinting across the gaps in the ground, which led to nothing but spikes, lava, and more Badniks. He screeched to a halt, doubling over and resting next to the stone wall. Suddenly, he noticed that he had recently passed some sort of sign-post, and a ring of stars hovered above it.

"What in the..." He approached, noticing that it was growing smaller and smaller. He jumped in, regretting it as his stomach churned. "Ugh...Haven't felt like this...since..." He looked around in shock. "This place...It looks like the Ring Zones back on South Island!" He noticed a glittering gem floating at the end of the tube he stood in, and he took off towards it.

He touched the emerald at the end, and as soon as his fingertips touched it, he was transported back to the Hill Tops.

"Is this..." He muttered. "A Chaos Emerald? It was in a Special Zone...But could it be a Power Stone?" He scratched his head. "I...I don't know anything anymore..."

"Like you ever did?" A familiar voice called out, and Robotnik floated up from the lava, in a submarine of sorts. "Hand over that Emerald, Sonic!"

"Or else what ? !" Sonic growled, gripping the gem. "You'll float at me?"

Robotnik snarled, sweat beading on his forehead. "_Damn...That's no Power Stone...The Power Stones are found within the island's crust, not within Special Zones...How could the Chaos Emeralds be here, though? Could...Could this be the legendary floating island?_"

"Or else I'll fry you, you brat!" He pressed a button in his sub, and a fireball shot towards Sonic. The hedgehog dodged it, spinning towards the sub. He bent the cannon down towards the body of the submarine, and Robotnik growled, about to press the fire button again. He realized what that would do, and he stopped, taking a deep breath and calming down.

He stood up, pushing the barrel of the cannon back out, and sitting down again. "There. Much better." He fired again, and Sonic dodged again, cutting off the cannon entirely. He leapt backwards off of a wall, spinning towards the submarine.

Robotnik ejected his hovercraft, barely dodging Sonic's attack. Suddenly, the hedgehog bounded up off of the sinking vehicle, and grabbed onto the hovercraft, swinging wildly as Robotnik tried to remove him.

His grip began to slip, and he cried out in shock as he fell, towards the darkened forest below. Just as he was sure he'd be either killed or paralyzed, the roar of a plane rotor filled his ears, and he looked around, confused.

He let out an 'oof!' as he landed on his stomach on the roof of the cockpit, and he slowly pushed himself up. "Wh...What the-? !"

His plane that had crashed was carrying him, descending into the forest.

/-/-/-/-/-/

The plane had landed, and Sonic had climbed down, looking back up to thank the pilot, only to stare in shock at the empty air where the pilot's head should have been. He was about to assume ghosts, before a small orange fox popped out of the seat, climbing down.

"That was close!" He sighed in relief. "Are you alright?"

"Y-Yeah..." Sonic couldn't help but stare. "Oh! Thanks for catching me!" He bowed a bit. "If it wasn't for you, I'd have been a puddle right now. But..." He motioned at the plane. "You...You know how to fly this?"

Miles nodded. "Yeah. I know a lot about planes."

"Did...Did you fix this?"

He bowed his head, sheepishly. "Y-Yeah...I-I'm sorry!"

"Sorry ? !" Sonic grinned. "Dude, that's so cool! You fixed it in just over an hour; it took me almost half a year to build it!" He smirked. "So, what's your name, kid?" The fox mumbled, and Sonic scratched his ear. "Come again?"

"...Miles...Prower..." He replied, blushing.

"Miles Prower?"

"I know, right?" He chuckled nervously. "I hate it...It sounds so...so lame."

Sonic placed a hand to his chin. "I don't know, I think it sounds neat. 'Miles Per-Hour', see?"

Miles shook his head. "Everyone makes fun of me for it."

"I still say it's cool!" Suddenly, he noticed the two tails behind the kit, and his eyes widened. "Whoa, you have two...?"

Miles suddenly squeaked in fright, turning around and running. Sonic sprinted ahead, blocking his path, and Miles fell over as he bumped into him, crawling backwards along the ground. "P-Please don't beat me up!"

Sonic's eyes widened, and he raised his hands up. "Hold it, hold it! I'm not gonna hurt you!"

"I d-don't believe you!" Miles curled up, covering his head. "E-Everyone else does!"

The hedgehog stared in shock, mouth dropping into an 'o'. "...Miles..." He reached down for his shoulder, and the fox did what came naturally.

Sonic let out a grunt of pain as the kit bit down, hard, into his knuckles. He remained calm, taking a deep breath and digging the fingers of his opposite hand into the dirt. About a minute passed, and Miles opened one eye, surprised that he hadn't punched him.

He let go of his hand, blood covering his teeth and dripping to the ground. He stared in terror as Sonic grinned at him. "You...You didn't stop me..." His eyes widened as he realized what he did, and he sat up straight. "Y-Your hand-!"

"It's fine." Sonic smiled. "I've had worse...boy, have I had worse. Trust me, I can just walk it off-"

The kit had burst into tears, choking. "I'm s-so sorry! I...I didn't mean to, I-I-!"

Sonic lightly bumped his (clean) knuckles into the kit's forehead, playfully. "Dude, just chill for a sec. Breathe. In...now out." Miles nodded, following his instructions. "Good. Feel better?"

"A...A little."

"Good." He stood up. "Y'know, I could use some help."

"Y-You want me...to help you?"

Sonic nodded. "Sure, why not?" Miles stood up as well, and Sonic motioned to the plane. "Seems like you can fly this thing pretty well. I need you to go back to Emerald Hill and access the Special Zones there. In each of them you'll find one of these." He held up the gem he'd gotten. "Collect five of them, I'll hold onto this one in case Ro-butt-nik tries anything funny...well, funnier."

"O-Okay!" Miles nodded, jumping into the plane.

"I'll be over near the Metropolis later, come find me." The fox started up the plane, nodding again. "I'm counting on you, 'Tails'!"

"Tails?"

"You said you hated 'Miles', right?" Sonic smirked. "What? You don't like it?"

'Tails's face lit up, and he cheered. "Tails! My new name is Tails!"

Sonic chuckled, waving as he sped off. "Good luck, bud!"

As he sprinted away, Tails waved back, smiling as the plane took off. "You too...oh, man, I didn't ask his name!"

/-/-/-/-/-/

The Oil Ocean came to a stop, and Sonic nearly gagged at the smell of diesel and smog. He had entered the Metropolis, and he was starting to regret it. Spikes popped out of everything, and that praying-mantis robot gave him the chills each time he saw it, as if it was created not to kill him, but just for the sole purpose of frustrating him.

He jumped off of the corkscrew he was on, having reached the top floor, and he looked around, searching for Robotnik. "Yo, Ro-butt-nik! Come on out, it's over!" There was no response, and a bead of sweat appeared on his temple. The entire city had been a death trap, even going to far as to hide some Badniks in the walls.

So where was the huge robot?

"...Doc?" He called. "...Hello?"

Suddenly, he cried out in shock as a large metal fist slammed into the back of his head. He groaned as he pushed himself up, turning onto his back, and staring in shock. Above him stood a large robot of steel, made to look just like him, save for the color.

"Wh-What the-? !"

"Hoho, Sonic!" Robotnik cackled from the robot. "I see you've met my Silver Sonic! Although it may not be complete, like Hyper Metal Sonic was, I created this one for only one thing; the duty of destroying you!"

"Tch!" Sonic smirked, pushing himself to his feet. "Yeah, right. I beat one of your dopplegangers before, I can do it again!"

And so, they fought. At first, Sonic thought that attacking from behind, where it couldn't see, was an ideal plan. Unfortunately, unlike Metal Sonic, this one had numerous razor-sharp spines on the back, and any contact would chop him to ribbons.

While he faltered, trying to think up a solution, Silver Sonic curled up, soaring into the air, and crashing back down, leaving Sonic only a few moments to dodge.

He growled, and the gem he'd kept appeared in his hand. He curled up as well, and the two collided, sparks flying. They bounced off of each other, only to spin back into one another. This continued for a few minutes, before Sonic stopped, slightly wobbly.

"Crap, this isn't good..."

Suddenly, a pattering noise filled the air as machine-gun fire rained down. Sonic ducked down as the bullets bombarded Silver Sonic, blowing a few holes in it's chest. It sparked a bit, before flying away towards the Death Egg, which was currently directly overhead.

Sonic looked upwards, grinning when he recognized the biplane. "Hey, Tails! Just in time!" He leapt up, and the two soared up towards the fortress.

Tails looked up to the hedgehog. "I forgot to ask your name earlier, by the way!" He called over the wind.

"And I forgot to give it!" Sonic chuckled. "Call me Sonic! Sonic the Hedgehog!"

The two came ever closer to the Wing Fortress, and Tails squinted against the sun. "Man, we're still not close enough to the Death Egg for me to drop you off..."

"Don't worry, we can just set the plane to auto and jump onto the Wing Fortress!"

"Sonic, are you sure we can take Eggman on?"

"Sure, why not-..." Sonic looked down at the kit. "...Eggman?"

"Yeah. He...looks like an egg, doesn't he?"

"..." Suddenly, Sonic let out a cry as he laughed, almost falling from the wing. "EGGMAN ? ! Nice, buddy! That's even better than Ro-butt-nik!"

The plane shook violently, and Sonic grabbed the edge of the wing as lasers flew by. "They're trying to shoot us down!" Tails cried. "Sonic, take this and jump onto the ship!"

The fox tossed him a bag, the Power Stones inside. "What ? ! But Tails-! !"

The wing separated as a laser hit the plane, sending the red blur spiraling down. Sonic stared in shock, the wind carrying the wing onto the ship. Sparks flew as it skidded, and Sonic immediately jumped off, looking over the edge.

A few seconds passed, before he noticed a small red dot at ground level, smoke starting to billow up.

He stood there for a minute or so, before clenching a fist. He spun on his heel, glaring ahead, eyes having dilated to mere dots.

"ROBOTNIK, YOU MONSTER! I'LL MAKE YOU PAY FOR THAT!" He threatened.

"Hoho!" A camera nearby laughed. "And how do you plan to do that? You're on my turf now, hedgehog!"

He didn't respond, simply stomped forth. He approached a Cluck, a chicken-looking turret, and Robotnik snickered, watching from a remote camera. "He's not even planning to dodge! As soon as he's dead, I'll collect those Power Stones and power up my Death Egg even further!"

Suddenly, Sonic vanished, and after a moment or two, the Cluck exploded, debris flying everywhere. It happened to another, and another, until barely a single defense remained. In front of one of the cameras stood Sonic, glowing, a navy blue aura around him. "Watch it, Robotnik..." He snarled. "I'm coming for you next."

Robotnik gulped, sweat beading on his forehead. The sky-blue gem in his pocket glowed darkly, just like the hedgehog, and after about two minutes, the ceiling burst open.

Sonic dropped in, glaring at him. "You've gone too far this time, Eggman..." He took a step forward, then another. "Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me...And now my friend is gone because of you..." He growled. "I won't let you escape again."

Robotnik slammed his fist down on the keyboard, and a yellow barrier protected him from the crazed hedgehog. A large cannon appeared from the ceiling, and energy began to gather around the barrel. Sonic dodged the laser at the last second, before spinning upwards into it, immediately destroying it.

He spun around, facing Robotnik, just in time to see him drop down through an airlock. The barrier vanished, and Sonic jumped into the airlock after him. Robotnik was right below him, in a jet cockpit, and Sonic aimed himself for it.

At the last second, the jet took off, and Sonic fell through the airlock, headfirst towards the ground. He spun around in midair so that his back was to the ground, and he growled, eyes going wide as he realized what was happening. The Wing Fortress was beginning to detonate, fire and smoke erupting from every orifice, and he himself was falling towards Mobius, speed gaining as he dropped. He saw Robotnik's jet in the distance, getting smaller and smaller as it exited the atmosphere towards the Death Egg.

Suddenly, Sonic felt his feet hit ground, and he looked up in shock, realizing that he had landed on the red biplane. "T-Tails ? !" He cried out, looking into the cockpit. Indeed, Tails was piuloting the plane, smiling up at him. "B-But I thought-!"

"I managed to repair it, Sonic!" Tails cheered. "I had to take apart the machine guns to construct a new wing though, I hope you don't mind!"

Sonic stared, before bursting into laughter. "Not a bit, buddy!" They veered upwards, following the jet, and after a few minutes, they had caught up, but unable to fully reach it. "Hey, can this thing go any higher ? !"

"I don't think so!" Tails called. "You'll have to jump for it!"

He nodded, and crouched, ready to leap up. "I'll see you down below, Tails!" With that, he took off, grabbing onto one of the wings of the jet.

/-/-/-/-/-/

Sonic let out a sigh of relief as he entered the darkened tunnel. The jet had managed to shake him off right as it entered the docking bay, but Sonic had luckily been able to propel himself into a separate ventilation shaft; he made a mental note that zero-gravity was awesome.

He leapt down, out of the vent, his feet '_clang_'ing against the metal catwalk. Before him stood the main generator of the Death Egg, located in the center of the room with the catwalk circling around it.

"You pesky blue rat!" Robotnik's voice reverberated around the enormous room. "Take a good look at this room, Sonic the Hedgehog; it will be the last look you ever get before I close your eyes...FOREVER!"

"Bring it on, Eggman!" Sonic taunted, looking around for the insane man. "I can take whatever you dish out, and serve you double!"

_CLANG!_

Behind him stood Silver Sonic, eyes glowing orange and spines spinning like saw blades. "As you request, pest! This time, your little foxy friend can't help you! You're done-for!"

Silver Sonic spun towards his base, and Sonic jumped over him, scowling. He leapt into Silver Sonic as the robot uncurled, slicing his face in two. Sonic hoped that the cut would be enough to damage his electro-brain, but the fighting machine was hardly phased, this time raising his arms up in front of his body and charging.

Sonic spun into his head again, but as he bounced off, Silver Sonic raised an arm, slashing him across his chest.

"NGH!" The blue hedgehog grunted in pain, stumbling as he landed. He held his chest, a few drops of blood dripping through his fingers. "Darn..." He muttered. Suddenly, he remembered the gems that Tails had given to him, and he bucked his backpack into the air as Silver Sonic spun at him in the exact same arc.

The brown leather was shredded to bits, and the gems dropped down. Sonic rolled, somersaulting on the spot, and bursting forth, grabbing the six gems and smirking as he felt his spines sharpen and his muscles expand slightly.

"Get ready, you hunk of scrap!" He declared, somersaulting again. "HAVE A TASTE OF MY SPIN-DASH!" The robot remained silent, spinning at him at the same time. The two approached each other at a rapid pace, slicing spines meeting metallic saws.

Then, the two appeared behind one another, silent. Suddenly, Sonic lurched forward, blood dripping from his arms and legs as cuts appeared across his body. Despite the pain, he smirked, chuckling softly. "Gotcha..."

Silver Sonic fell to pieces, a sky-blue gem clattering to the ground. Sonic coughed, dropping to his knees and letting his arms dangle by his sides. "Darn...Not bad, Eggman..." The seven gems glowed, and Sonic felt his wounds heal. He looked down in shock, feeling power surge through his body. "Seven Chaos Emeralds..." He murmured. "The legends were true..."

Suddenly, his body convulsed, and he felt his body explode in power as his fur turned golden, and his eyes turned red. He stood there, hunched over a bit, staring down at his arm and chest, which seemed to have become just slightly more beefy.

He smirked, spinning on his heel and simply willing himself forward, exerting hardly a calorie of energy as he flew forth, through the hallway as it lit up thanks to his golden aura.

Robotnik ran as fast as he could, having witnessed everything on a monitor. The doors behind him closed rapidly, only to be blown open by the supersonic hedgehog. He quickly hopped into his doomsday robot, sweat dripping down his temples as the explosions grew nearer.

Sonic blasted into the room, slowly floating closer. "Alright, Eggman, I think it's about time we settle this. Super Sonic style." He snickered. "This time, I'll make sure that you never bother us again!"

The robot rose up, but Sonic's expression remained the same; cocky, determined. The robot marched forward, and the hedgehog crossed his arms, waiting until it was just on top of him, before leaping up, spinning into the cockpit.

However, his attack was impeded by the robot swinging it's arm up, swatting him away. He skidded to a stop, leaping up again and spinning into the knee. The mech crumpled for a moment, and Sonic took this as his chance to attack the cockpit again.

He spun into it, and Robotnik grunted in shock as the reinforced glass cracked slightly. Another arm came up, but Sonic dodged it, grabbing the spikes on the end and pulling. The entire arm came off, and he threw it to the side.

Robotnik snarled, firing the remaining arm at him. Sonic dodged it, grabbing the thrusters and lobbing it back at it's body. The arm pierced the shoulder it had come from, and the robot was practically defenseless. Sonic spun forward, but just as he neared the mech, small bombs that resembled Eggman popped out of it's back, aiming right for him. He dodged each one, spinning through the shoulder and leaving it armless entirely. He then bounded off of one of the walls, spinning into the rockets and bomb-deployers on it's back.

Robotnik began to sweat immensely, tears of panic slipping out from under his blue glasses. "You...Y-YOU...**YOU HORRID LITTLE PINCUSHION! ! !**" He screamed in fury. "I'LL KILL YOU! I DON'T NEED YOU TO MAKE THE ULTIMATE WEAPON!" It began stomping around the room wildly, and Sonic's eyes widened as he narrowly avoided being crushed. "I AM DOCTOR IVO ROBOTNIK! I.Q. OF THREE HUNDRED, I LEVELED AN ENTIRE CITY!" He continued to rant, and Sonic simply stared, having absconded to just past the railing of the catwalk. "I WILL NOT LOSE TO SOME ORNERY RAT! **NOT TO SOME...SOME...****HEDGEHOG! ! !**"

Sonic growled, not that Eggman could hear him. "You know something, Ivo? You used to be fun." He crossed his arms. "But...I really hate sore losers. Not to mention crybabies." He clenched his fists. "TAKE THIS, EGGMAN!" He spun forward, cutting through the robot like a hot knife through butter. The robot fell apart, and Sonic landed on the other side, safe and sound.

He spun around, glaring. "Now, leave Mobius, Doctor Robotnik."

"Oh...I'll leave...WHEN I'M GOOD AND READY!" Robotnik declared, climbing out of the wreck. He raised a small box with a button on it, pressing the button as soon as he could. Energy siphons dropped down from the ceiling, and Sonic screamed in agony as the Emeralds were ripped away from him, draining his power as well.

He fell to his hands and knees, panting as the gems floated closer and closer to the fallen robot. The scrap began to reassemble, forming the robot once more, albeit deformed-looking, like a doll with patches of different fabrics everywhere.

"NOW!" Robotnik cried. "**DIE! ! !**"

_**KRAKOOM!**_

The robot's chest exploded, the Emeralds clattering in front of them both. They stared for a few moments, before the robot convulsed, flashes of light shining out of it. The arms blew off, and one of them spiraled off to the side, where it became lodged in the engine.

"Wh-What? N-NO!" Robotnik whimpered. "IT'S OVERLOADING! **NO NO ****NO!**"

Sonic quickly snatched up the Emeralds, before sprinting as fast as he could to the vent, panic setting in as the room exploded. He continued to run for his life, growling when he saw the end of the vent. Without a second thought, he launched himself into the void.

/-/-/-/-/-/

Tails watched in shock as a bright flash of light erupted in the sky. He stared, wondering what it could have been, before remembering that the Death Egg was up there, Sonic along with it. The animals nearby watched as well, eyes shining as the light shone down.

_The moonlight gently swayed over his shoulders_

He hurried to the biplane, vaulting into the cockpit and starting the engines, tears in his eyes as he prayed to as many omnipotent beings he could think of that he wasn't too late.

_Down from the heavens came a ladder of angels_

The plane took off, propellers whirling as it rose into the sky.

_The room was thinly dyed a dark blue_

Sonic in the meantime was falling, gaining speed every second. He knew this was the end. Not even he could survive a fall through the atmosphere; he'd burn up before even coming close to something tall enough to catch himself on.

_But the black waves were shaking_

Suddenly, his feet touched solid ground, and he looked left and right, then down and back, eyes widening at the sight of the red biplane.

_We are hand in hand, but do not overlap_

Tails' cheers were lost to the sound of the plane's rotors, as were his sobs of relief. At the same time, Sonic grinned, feeling his own eyes tingle a bit, before wiping them away.

_We do not need to talk when our chests touch_

The gems swirled down, disappearing into Sonic's body in a quick flash of light, a soothing flash instead of a blinding one.

_This moment will be frozen in time_

The two turned to watch as the Death Egg plummeted, as the sun began to set.

_Between us, our Sweet Dream will never end_

/-/-/-/-/-/

To be continued...

/-/-/-/-/-/

(1): This will be adapted into a later chapter.

To anyone who asks, yes, those words in italics just now were a song, the one from the same scene in Sonic 2 in fact. However, since I felt that the official English translation wasn't very suitable for these two characters(because screw fangirl/hater comments concerning SonTails), I tried my hand at translating the original Japanese lyrics myself. Keep in mind that the lyrics above are still very, very rough, though not as rough as a direct translation run through Google Translate.


End file.
